Belt-anchored sling to secure rifle across torso

ABSTRACT

A sling worn on the person secures a rifle across the front of the person&#39;s torso and permits ready deployment of the rifle. The stock of the rifle is removably secured at the person&#39;s waist. The barrel of the rifle is removably secured at one of the person&#39;s shoulders.

This application is a continuation-in-part of and claims priority based on Provisional application Ser. No. 60/704,029, filed Aug. 1, 2005.

This invention relates to hand held weapons and slings for such weapons.

More particularly, the invention relates to a sling system to secure for rapid deployment and use a rifle at the front of an individual's body.

Conventional rifle slings comprise a pliable strap with one end secured to the stock end of a rifle and the other end secured to the barrel end of a rifle. The sling is draped over an individual's shoulder to carry the rifle. One disadvantage of such slings is that a rifle often cannot be utilized until the sling is removed from the individual's body. This maneuver takes time and does not promote the rapid deployment and use of a rifle.

Sometimes conventional rifle slings are intended to be positioned on and remain on the person when the rifle is fired. A disadvantage of such slings is that positioning the sling in order to use the rifle often is not quickly accomplished.

Accordingly, it would be highly desirable to provide an improved rifle sling that would secure a rifle on the person and yet would enable the person to quickly remove and deploy the rifle.

Therefore, it is a principal object of the instant invention to provide an improved sling for carrying a rifle on the person.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved rifle sling that allows the rifle to be quickly completely separated from the sling.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved rifle sling that allows a user with one hand to begin positioning a rifle to be fired while the user's other hand is releasing the rifle from the sling.

These and other, further and more specific objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent to those of skill in the art from the following detailed description thereof, taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a rifle sling constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective front view illustrating the rifle sling of FIG. 1 worn by an individual; and,

FIG. 3 is a perspective back view illustrating the rifle sling of FIG. 1 worn by an individual.

Briefly, in accordance with the invention, I provide an improved sling to carry a rifle across the front of the torso of an individual. The rifle includes a stock end and a barrel end. The sling comprises a pocket to removably receive and carry the stock end of the rifle. The pocket includes a system to secure the pocket to a waist belt. The sling also comprises a holder to secure the barrel end of the rifle at the front of the individual's torso. The holder is positioned above and laterally from the pocket such that a rifle mounted in the sling is canted and extends from the cuff downwardly across the individual's torso. The sling also comprises a strap system connected to the holder to extend around a portion of the individual's torso to secure the holder on the individual.

In another embodiment of the invention, I provide an improved sling to carry a rifle across the front of the torso of an individual. The rifle includes a stock end and a barrel end. The sling comprises a pocket to removably receive and carry the stock end of the rifle and includes a system to secure the pocket to a waist belt; comprises a holder to secure the barrel end of the rifle at the front of the individual's torso, the holder being positioned above and laterally from the pocket such that a rifle mounted in the sling is canted and extends from the holder downwardly across the individual's torso; and, a structure extending between and interconnecting the pocket and the holder to adjust the distance between the pocket and the cuff.

In a further embodiment of the invention, I provide an improved method to secure removably a rifle to extend in a canted orientation from a waist to a shoulder and across the front of a torso of an individual. The rifle includes a stock end and a barrel end. The improved method includes the steps of removably securing the stock end of the rifle adjacent the waist of an individual; and, removably securing the barrel end adjacent the shoulder of the individual such that the rifle is canted across the torso of the individual.

Turning now the drawings, which depict the presently preferred embodiments of the invention for the purpose of illustration thereof, and not by way of limitation of the invention, and in which like characters refer to corresponding elements throughout the several views, FIG. 1 illustrates a rifle sling constructed in accordance with the principles of the invention and generally indicated by reference character 10. Sling 10 includes a pocket 14, cuff or holder 12, and bridging structure 13 interconnecting pocket 14 and holder 12.

Bridging structure 13 includes generally U-shaped rail 38 provided with a plurality of apertures 24 extending through rail 38. One end of rail 38 is connect to pocket 14. The other end of rail 38 slidably receives slide 22. Slide 22 includes a plurality of aperture 23 formed therethrough. Slide 22 is slid into and out of rail 38 in the directions indicated by arrows A to lengthen or shorten, as the case may be, the distance between pocket 14 and holder 12. When slide 22 is slidably moved to a desired position, it is secured in that position by passing a fastener 25 through an aperture 23 and through an aperture 24 in rail 38 that is in registration with aperture 23. Rail 38 includes inwardly extending lips 39, 40 that function to capture slide 22 in rail while at the same time permitting slide 22 to slide in rail 38 in the directions indicated by arrows A.

Holder 12 includes ends 18 and 19 that are provided with Velcro™ or other fasteners that permit cuff 12 to be wrapped around the barrel end 33 of a rifle 32. Ends 18 and 19 are closed and fastened together in the manner illustrated in FIG. 1. End 18 (FIG. 1) wraps around barrel 33 in the direction of arrow C (FIG. 2) and is secured to end 19. The shape and dimension and functioning of a holder 12 can vary as desired as long as the holder 12 achieves the function of securing the barrel or barrel end of a rifle barrel in place adjacent the front of the shoulder or torso of a user 30 and of permitting the holder 12 to be operated to release quickly—preferably with a single hand—the barrel end of a rifle.

Strap system 11 is connected to holder 12 and, when system 11 is worn by a user 30, functions to maintain holder 12 in place adjacent the front of the shoulder or other area of the user. Buckle 17 detachably interconnects the ends of strap 16. Guide 15 is utilized to center portions of strap 16 that crisscross one another on the back 35 (FIG. 3) of a user. As can be seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, portions of strap 16 extend over the right and left shoulders, under the arms of a user, and across the back of a user. Any desired strap system 11 can be utilized as long as the strap system extends around a portion of the body of the user 30 and functions to maintain cuff or holder 12 in place adjacent the front of the shoulder of user 30. A clip or attachment system other than a strap system can be utilized to maintain holder 12 in place adjacent the front of the shoulder of user 30.

Pocket 14 removably receives and secures adjacent the front waist of a user 30 the stock 34 or stock end of a rifle 32. Stock 34 extends through opening 41 into pocket 14. Stock 24 slides through opening 41 into pocket 14 in the direction indicated by arrow B. The shape and dimension of pocket 14 can vary as desired as long as pocket 14 functions to engage and support removably stock 34. At a minimum, pocket 14 should support stock 34 and prevent stock 34 from moving past pocket 14 downwardly in the direction of arrow B toward the ground. Pocket 14 preferably also prevents stock 34 from moving laterally outwardly away from a user in the direction of arrow D (FIG. 2). Slots 26 and 27 (FIG. 1) in pocket 14 permit the waist belt 28 of a user to be threaded through slots 26 and 27 such that belt 28 secures pocket 14 adjacent the front of the user's lower torso or hip. Belt 28 can comprise the pants belt normally worn by a user 30, or can comprise a belt or strap separately provided to a user as a part of sling 10. In the event a user is wearing pants that do not require a belt or do not have a belt, pocket 14 can be provided with a clip or other means to engage the waistband of the pants worn by the user. Pocket 14 can include any desired system for securing pocket 14 adjacent the front of the lower hip or torso of a user 30. As would be appreciated by those of skill in the art, sling 10 can be worn such that rifle 32 extends from a user's right shoulder, across the user's torso, and down to the user's left hip. As used herein, the term rifle also includes shotguns.

After rifle 32 is mounted in sling 10 in the manner illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, rifle 32 is readily removed from sling 10. The left hand of user 30 pulls end 18 free while the right hand of the user grasps the stock 34 or other portion of rifle 32 and lifts the rifle 32 out of pocket 14 in a direction opposite that indicated by arrow B in FIG. 2. As soon as end 18 is pulled free and rifle 32 is free of cuff 12, the user's left hand grasps the barrel 33 or other portion of rifle 32. This procedure permits a user to quickly release rifle 32 from sling 10 and grasp rifle 32 with both hands to be fired or otherwise deployed. 

1. A sling to carry a rifle across the front of the torso of an individual, the rifle including a stock end and a barrel end, the sling comprising (a) a pocket to removably receive and carry the stock end of the rifle and including a system to secure said pocket to a waist belt; (b) a holder to secure the barrel end of the rifle at the front of the individual's torso, said holder being positioned above and laterally from said pocket such that a rifle mounted in the sling is canted and extends from said holder downwardly across the individual's torso; (c) a strap system connected to said holder to extend around a portion of the individual's torso to secure said holder on the individual.
 2. A sling to carry a rifle across the front of the torso of an individual, the rifle including a stock end and a barrel end, the sling comprising (a) a pocket to removably receive and carry the stock end of the rifle and including a system to secure said pocket to a waist belt; (b) a holder to secure the barrel end of the rifle at the front of the individual's torso, said holder being positioned above and laterally from said pocket such that a rifle mounted in the sling is canted and extends from said holder downwardly across the individual's torso; (c) a structure extending between and interconnecting said pocket and said holder to adjust the distance between said pocket and said holder.
 3. A method to secure removably a rifle to extend in a canted orientation from a waist to a shoulder and across the front of a torso of an individual, the rifle including a stock end and a barrel end, the method comprising (a) removably securing the stock end of the rifle adjacent the waist of an individual; and, (b) removably securing the barrel end adjacent the shoulder of the individual such that the rifle is canted across the torso of the individual. 